Lower School Hives Welcome New Members
October 7, 2024
On sunny September days, Lotspeich and Doherty students gathered to meet their new Hive members.
The Hives are multiage buddy groups with students in kindergarten through fifth grade, each with their own name and color. Through monthly get togethers, students build friendships across grade levels, foster a sense of belonging and identity in their school community, and work on community service projects together.
At the Doherty welcoming ceremony, kindergartners were sorted into Hives, given a bandana of their Hive color, and celebrated with a confetti cannon.
“It’s a very fun event and truly a great introduction to their group,” said Head of Doherty Tracy Murch. “We see how excited the students are to join their Hives, and the group responds to it. They keep that level of passion for their Hive members and their community service project consistently throughout the year.”
In addition to the community service project, the 10 Doherty Hives work on activities at assemblies and compete against the other Hives on Olympic Day in the spring.
Though Hives have been at Doherty for three years, Lotspeich introduced Hives during the 2024-25 school year so all Lotspeich students were meeting their Hive members for the first time at their celebration on the upper field.
The Lotspeich Hives follow a similar pattern, with the exception of including pre-kindergarten students in Lotspeich’s 12 Hives. Kindergarten through fifth grade students are assigned a Hive Home for their time throughout Lotspeich. Monthly Hive gatherings will include various games and activities that strengthen their sense of community, identity, and belonging around the Seven Hills values.
“Our Honeybees in pre-kindergarten will also participate in Hives,” Assistant Head of Lotspeich Danielle Necessary said. “Each pre-kindergarten class was split into two groups, each student group joining a Hive along with a trusted adult (either their pre-kindergarten teacher or teacher assistant). This allows pre-kindergarten students to participate with the flexibility, consistency, and trusted support appropriate for that age group.”
At the welcome ceremony, the Doherty fifth graders took on their first tasks as beekeepers, the student-leaders of each Hive, by helping their Hives members through a bonding activity. The Hives tossed around a beach ball and answered a question about themselves when they caught it. The older students showed off their leadership skills by helping the younger students read the questions.
When asked by counselor Angie Bielecki why Doherty has Hives, third grader Helen Kincaid and fifth grader Paul Schweer said the Hives strengthen the community and helps them get to know students they might not know otherwise.
